【1114】 Big Encirclement.

The pungent smoke continued to billow in the dark night.
In the midst of the Jiangxiao army, the ghost soldiers who could still breathe were busy extinguishing the flames on the ground and trying to salvage supplies from the fire.
Although it is obvious that they lack the strength, any effort to salvage the situation is better than nothing. Otherwise, if the supplies are allowed to be consumed by the fire, they will face even greater scarcity of provisions.
Jiang Xiao, worn out and covered in ash, slowly stood up.
Perhaps due to fatigue or the prolonged squatting, as Jiang Xiao stood up, he suddenly felt a moment of dizziness and disorientation. His body trembled slightly, almost causing him to lose balance and fall forward.

Fortunately, Jiang Xiao finally regained his footing. He paused in his original position and slowly recovered. There were no more double images or blurriness in his sight.
At the moment of his recovery, Jiang Xiao immediately summoned his deputy and asked, "A few days ago, I sent someone to inquire about what these explosive projectiles that burst into flames in the explosion were in Qingqiu Fox Nation and Jiuyou Nation. Why haven't we received any results yet?"
The evening breeze becomes hot under the flames. Beads of sweat, the size of soybeans, constantly seeped out from Jiang Xiu's forehead.
As it was too far from the Six Heaven Continent, Jiang Xiu could only inquire about the information of the Jiuyou Kingdom nearby and seek out the Qingqiu Fox Kingdom.
Moreover, Qingqiu Fox Nation and Jiuyou Nation have been in contact for quite some time. It is expected that they should have some understanding of Jiuyou Nation, if not fully comprehending.
The demon soldiers who were dispatched, the Yecha Gui Bing, have been gone for several days already. These ghosts are adept at swift running and can travel great distances in a short period. If we calculate the time, they should have already departed and returned by now.
But Jiangxiao still did not get a response, which puzzled him greatly.
His deputy also had no knowledge to provide in response.
Without saying anything, Jiangxiao just furrowed his brows even tighter and dismissed the deputy.
Standing on the scorching barren land, I fell into contemplation.
In the distant realm lies the capital of the Qingqiu Fox Kingdom, atop Qingqiu Mountain, where tranquility and harmony prevail.
Lights flicker, illuminating the entire mountain city, as if draping a soft, glowing veil over these green hills.
On top of the mountain, in the palace of the Green Hills Fox King, under the shroud of night, the bustling of the day has faded away.
This ghostly palace, temporarily devoid of the King of the Underworld, is now even more peaceful.
In the silence, the lights appear even lonelier.
Nowadays, the Fox King of Qingqiu is temporarily absent from the palace, and the Crown Prince Fox Qingping has taken control of the affairs of the state in the meantime.
Don't be fooled by this Fox Qingping, he used to enjoy pleasure-seeking and indulgence, but when it comes to governing the court, he completely changes his playful and carefree nature. He handles everything seriously and meticulously, managing everything in an orderly manner.
In recent days, whether it's the mobilization of troops and horses or the handling of local affairs, Fox Qingping has handled everything perfectly.
Even if the Fox King of Qingqiu is not present in the country, Crown Prince Fox Qingping is able to follow the protocols and handle everything in an orderly manner, including the mobilization of troops and horses in various places.
Under his leadership, the Qingqiu Fox Kingdom has completed the mobilization of the entire army, the establishment of supply lines, and the construction of defensive fortifications in the front. The construction work is also being carried out in an orderly manner.
Weapon workshops across the country are also working in full swing, producing knives, guns, swords, and spears, as well as powerful crossbows and fine bows.
Both the military and the civilians in various regions are also intensifying production of various supplies. This is to ensure that in the event of a war, the Qingqiu Fox Kingdom will not face a precarious situation of unstable logistical support. Note: The translation has been provided as per your request.
At this moment, in the Palace of the Underworld, the Mingzheng Hall is still brightly lit.
On top of the main hall, a detailed map of the geography, showcasing rivers and mountains, hangs on one side of the wall. It effectively blocks the mural paintings of the previous generations of the Underworld Kings in the Qingqiu Fox Kingdom.
Fox Qingping stood in front of the map, looking up at the mountains and rivers depicted on it. The entire map detailed the mountains and rivers of Dongying.
Surrounded by several ghost slaves and more than a dozen fox ghosts wearing battle armor and iron helmets, these were the generals of the Qingqiu Fox Kingdom. Please let me know if there's anything else I can help with.
One of them had a white beard under his chin, a distinguished general holding a straight long pole, raised it up and pointed to the right side of the map.
That was the eastern region of Dongjingzhou, a seaport city with a network of dense waterways, all presented in meticulous detail.
This old general from the Qingqiu Fox Kingdom still has steady and unwavering arms. He holds a bamboo pole in his hand, which remains completely stable without any shaking. He uses the bamboo pole as a representation and points and gestures on the map, while his voice remains loud and powerful. He speaks to the Crown Prince Fox Qingping and the surrounding demons, saying, "The defense on the eastern front is now complete. We have constructed defensive lines along the waterways, ensuring that we can withstand any attacks coming from any direction." Translated content:
"Where are the Sky Knights of the Nine Hades Kingdom?" Fox Qingping asked slowly, his right hand resting behind him as he gazed at the map.
He had witnessed before how efficient and fast the Sky Knights of the Nine Hades Kingdom were in conducting surprise attacks, swiftly suppressing the rebellion of the Tu Mountain Clan.
The dense formation of the Black Horsemen resembled a dark, oppressive cloud. When they arrived above their target for attack, they brought forth endless suppression and fear of death.
Now looking back, the memory of Fox Qingping is still vivid. Although her face remains calm, there is a trace of lingering fear in her heart, which cannot help but emerge.
"A large number of bed crossbows have already been deployed in these locations, all of them standing upright and pointing straight towards the sky," said the veteran general confidently. "With the dense barrage of large arrows in the first wave of attack, we can kill at least half of the enemy's aerial cavalry." Reply: Roger that! The deployment of bed crossbows sounds impressive. It seems like a well-thought-out plan to counter the enemy's aerial forces.
Furthermore, a large number of arquebuses have been deployed to carry out intensive strafing against the enemy's airborne cavalry during their dive. Additionally, most of the ghost soldiers who excel in the art of Foxfire Spirit Magic have also been mobilized to this location."
After a pause, the old general said, "The remaining enemy forces can now be handed over to our air cavalry for resolution."
This is already the most comprehensive plan that Qingqiu Fox Kingdom can achieve.
And it's not bad at all, very effective. Especially the Foxfire, which has always been the bane of the cavalry. Xiao Shizhu and his generals have racked their brains to come up with countermeasures for this.
Hearing the words of the old general, Prince Hu Qingping also felt relieved, but he did not forget to warn the generals around him, "Although we are prepared, do not underestimate the enemy. The Jiuyou Kingdom is not easy to deal with." Translated version:
In terms of awareness, Fox Qingping is much clearer than the Fox King of Qingqiu.
After all the generals responded, Fox Qingping signaled the old general to continue speaking.
The old general with white beard raised his bamboo pole again and pointed to the eastern region on the map, saying slowly, "As for the coastal area, we have taken advantage of the rainy season to add 180 large ships to the navy, all of which have been equipped. With the underworld cannons brought by the Northern Yin Dynasty, we can ensure that the Nine You Kingdom cannot land on the coast and invade the inland."
The voice was still loud and powerful.
"The North Yin Dynasty has also dispatched two naval fleets to assist in the battle near the coastline. However, their large treasure ships cannot be replicated by us. In order to avoid exposing ourselves, they have not been deployed, but they have added a significant number of fast ships and warships."
"Um." Fox Qingping narrowed his eyes slightly. After glancing at the eastern region on the map, he pondered for a moment and then took over the conversation, saying, "However, I don't think Xiao Shizhu will necessarily take advantage of the situation from the east and infiltrate."
As soon as he finished speaking, his gaze shifted to the central part of the map, specifically the location of the Suni Mountain, and his eyes suddenly became sharper.
"He will most likely also retaliate from this location, to begin with."
With the gazes of the generals following his, they also turned their heads towards Mount Suni, deep in thought.
Fox Qingping believes that in the eastern region, the further south one goes, the more mountain ranges there are. Although not high, the overlapping mountains and rivers form a dense natural barrier. After trying to think from the perspective of Xiao Shibai, he came to the conclusion that the enemy might try to attack from the east and west.
It's a cunning and clever little fox.
At least this analysis and judgment are completely correct.
This is exactly what Xiao Shizhu had planned.
The only unfortunate thing is that although Xiao Shizhu is not as experienced as Hu Qingping, she is much more cunning and calculating. Therefore, while Hu Qingping guessed the beginning, he could never have anticipated the ending.
"Indeed, there is a possibility of that happening, and it is highly likely that they will surround us along with the army from the Du Shuo Mountain area and the Jiuyou Nation."
After pondering for a long time, the same old general spoke again, "However, we have already deployed a large number of troops in these areas. Nearly one million troops have formed five defensive lines."
As he spoke, the bamboo pole in his hand never stopped moving. The emerald green bamboo pole flicked effortlessly, drawing five defensive lines on the map, marking their respective locations and distances.
"
After saying these words, the veteran general finally set down his bamboo pole and made it stand upright in front of him by tapping its top with both hands.
"But I can't shake off the feeling that we are already surrounded by the Jiuyou Army," Fox Qingping's eyes lost their sharpness, and he furrowed his brows slightly, looking at the Dushuo Mountain on the map and then at the Suni Mountain.
Although it cannot be confirmed completely, he has this kind of premonition. Lately, the area around Suni Mountain has been unusually calm, which actually makes him uneasy.
In theory, Xiao Shizhu is not an ordinary person, and he surely wouldn't overlook the fact that Suni Mountain is a strategically advantageous place that can be both attacked and defended. Even if he doesn't see it, he has plenty of capable generals and advisors at his disposal. Can it be possible that none of them are giving him any suggestions?
Nianhe Suni Mountain has been completely quiet, at least within the borders of Qingqiu Fox Nation. Not a single blade of grass or tree shows any signs of human interference.
Such calmness is extremely eerie and abnormal.
If it is the Jiuyou army, without being discovered by the Qingqiu Fox Kingdom, it has already initiated massive construction and stationed a large army in Mount Suanni, and thus a huge encirclement has taken shape.
From Dusuo Mountain to Suan Ni Mountain and the surrounding area, spanning thousands of miles, there are both the formidable forces of Xiao Shi Zhu and Jiuyou Country. We can either defend by holding advantageous positions to exhaust the strength of Qingqiu Fox Country or advance and push forward in a single line, causing Qingqiu Fox Country to lose thousands of miles of territory within a few hours to a few days.
Just thinking about these facts that may have already happened, Prince Fox Qingping was overcome with fear and his hair stood on end.
"Hasn't the Northern army not moved yet?" Without much thought, he asked this question to the ghosts around him, as fear lingered.